Energy bills set to rise for Power NI and Firmus customers from July
Consumer Council urges households to shop around as Middle East conflict drives up local gas and electricity tariffs.
Households across Northern Ireland are facing a sharp increase in their energy costs this summer, following separate tariff hike announcements from the region’s largest electricity provider, Power NI, and natural gas supplier, firmus energy. Both increases will take effect on July 1 2026.
The structural changes will impact over half a million electricity consumers and approximately 76,000 domestic and small business gas customers in the Ten Towns network area. The Ten Towns Network covers Antrim, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Coleraine, Craigavon (including Lurgan and Portadown), Limavady, Derry and Newry. Energy officials have cited escalating global wholesale energy prices - driven primarily by ongoing geopolitical conflict in the Middle East - alongside rising market and network charges as the primary catalysts for the market correction.
Power NI has confirmed a 6.2% tariff increase for residential customers. A typical Power NI customer with a credit meter will see their bill rise by around £64 per year, while customers with a keypad (PAYG) meter will see a yearly increase of about £62.
Karen Smyth, Director of Infrastructure & Sustainability at The Consumer Council, described the news as "unwelcome" but noted that the organisation continues to work closely with the Utility Regulator and regulated supply companies to protect consumers.
Any Power NI customers who are struggling to pay their electricity bills or top up their keypad meter should contact their supplier without delay to get advice and support,” Smyth advised. “We would encourage consumers to think about the way they pay for their energy and see if they can reduce their energy costs. Being on a standard tariff and paying on receipt of a bill is the most expensive way to pay for your electricity. Switching payment option, changing billing method or even switching supplier may save you money.”
Simultaneously, firmus energy has announced a 15.65% increase on regulated gas tariffs for domestic and small business customers within the Ten Towns network area. The firmus energy tariff increase means that the annual gas bill of a typical household with a credit meter will rise by around £132. Customers with a prepayment gas meter (PAYG) will see their typical costs increase by around £129 per year.
This announcement follows a previous tariff decrease of 10.10% from firmus energy in April 2026. The increase will impact around 76,000 domestic and small business firmus energy gas customers in the Ten Towns gas network area. There has been no announcement regarding the Greater Belfast Network area.
Announcing this latest tariff change, David Smith, Director at firmus energy Supply, said: “Over recent months we have been monitoring global markets closely and protecting consumers from price changes for as long as possible. Unfortunately, we continue to experience elevated wholesale prices while the conflict in the Middle East remains unresolved.
“Over the last year or so we have reduced our tariffs on three separate occasions, bringing tariffs down by over 27% and saving customers around £300 on average per annum. Today’s announcement, whilst unwelcome, means that customers’ bills will now be roughly the same as this time last year and still significantly below where they had been in previous years.
“Through our ability to forward purchase gas months in advance, we have been able to protect customers from the higher wholesale gas costs experienced recently.
“As Northern Ireland’s largest gas supplier by volume, we want to provide the best value possible to all our customers and we have demonstrated that when we are in a position to reduce tariffs we do so without delay, and we hope to be able to do so again once the global markets stabilise.”
The Consumer Council has warned that a further regulated gas tariff review is scheduled for October 2026, which could trigger additional increases if global market volatility persists.
Raymond Gormley, Head of Energy Policy at the Consumer Council, urged struggling households to engage directly with energy firms: "We urge anyone who is struggling to pay their energy bills or top-up their meters to contact their supplier directly, as suppliers have indicated that they are keen to offer their customers help and support."